Stamp affixer



Nov. 23, 1965 1. s. MOSER ETAL STAMP AFFIXER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.11, 1962 U w m M m m m Z A Jm w/ w w w 0% w 5 M 6 J O M Q a i f m C, 4 3L ,E w

1965 l. s. MOSER ETAL STAMP AFFIXER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1962Irv/n9 J. Moaer Kari A u/ka INVENTORLS ATTORNEY NOV. 23, 1965 I s, MOSERETAL 3,219,511

STAMP AFFIXER Filed Dec. 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 [mu/7y J. MaJer ffurf/(u//r0 IN VENTORS A TTOR/V' Y Nov. 23, 1965 Filed Dec. 11. 1962 I. S.MOSER ETAL STAMP AFFIXER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS United States Patent3,219,511 STAMP AFFIXER Irving S. Moser and Kurt Kuika, Houston, Tex,assignors, by mesne assignments, to Data-Link Corporation, Los Altos,Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 243,9533 Ciaims. (Cl. 156-532) This invention relates to the apparatus forquickly and easily atfixing postage stamps.

This application is a continuation-impart of copending applicationSerial No. 187,340, filed April 13, 1962, and now abandoned.

The apparatus of this invention is a small portable device which isadapted to contain a supply of postage stamps and which with arelatively simple movement feeds the stamps one at a time, cuts thestamps apart, wets them and presses them against the surface againstwhich the stamp is to be afiixed. The invention includes the novel meansfor feeding the stamps and further includes noval apparatus for properlydepositing moisture as required for adherence of the stamp to thesurface.

Other novel features and advantages of this invention will become moreapparent upon consideration of the following description and theaccompanying drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of oneembodiment of the invention showing the outside appearance of theembodiment;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of the inventionshowing the apparatus in its normal condition, i.e. as it appears whenat rest;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2 exceptshowing the apparatus in the process of being actuated;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURES 2 and 3 except showing theapparatus in a fully actuated condition;

FIGURE 5 is a view of the lower portion of the embodimeht shown inFIGURES 2, 3 and 4 showing the apparatus in the condition of partialreturn to normal position;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of FIGURES 2through 5 taken at line 66 of FIG- URE 2 but with portions being removedfor clarity;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the embodiment ofFIGURES 1 through 6 taken at line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 7 but showing the apparatusin a partially actuated condition as in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the embodiment ofFIGURES 1 through 8 taken at line 99 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the embodiment ofFIGURES 1 through 9 taken at line 1010 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the foregoingembodiment taken at line 11-11-of FIG- URE 2 with parts being removedfor clarity;

FIGURE 12 is a bottom view of a portion of the foregoing embodiment,taken at line 12-12 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 13 is a vertical sectional view of another embodiment of theinvention, shown at the same stage of actuation as in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 14 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of FIGURE 13,shown in fully actuated position as in FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the water can used in theembodiment of FIGURE 13.

The mechanism of the apparatus of this invention is contained within ahousing 10 which is provided with a pivotably opening door 12 which maybe opened for inser- 3,219,511 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 tion of a new rollof stamps. A cap 14 fits over and closes the upper end of the housingand forms means for actuating the mechanism. Afiixed within the upperportion of the housing and adjacent the door side of the housing is aremovable cylindrical cup shaped receptacle utilized as a cartridge fora roll of postage stamps, the receptacle being identified by number 16in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. The stamp cartridge is provided with a fiatboss 15 on the side thereof facing the door 12, and this boss has alaterally extended lug 19 which nests in a notch 21 in the wall of thehousing (see FIG. 1), so as to properly position the cartridge in thehousing. An aperture 17 is provided in the housing and in the cartridgefor observation of the amount of stamps in the cartridge.

The cylindrical wall of the receptacle is broken to provide an opening18 therein through which stamps may be fed to the mechanism of theapparatus. As shown in the drawing, a strip of stamps 20 is being fedthrough this opening. The edge of the cylindrical wall forming the lowerend of the opening 18 is formed in a cylindrical bead 22. A pin 24extends through the housing and is utilized to hold the housingtogether. This pin is parallel to and spaced slightly away from thecylindrical bead 22 and is positioned so that its upper surface isslightly above the lower surface of the bead 22. The spacing between thepin 24 and bead 22 is sufficient to allow the strip of stamps 20 to bethreaded therebetween so that the strip of stamps passes below the bead22 and above the pin 24.

In the lower portion of the housing 10 a feed wheel 26 is provided tofeed the strip of stamps upon actuation thereof. In the embodimentshown, the feed wheel comrises a block having a triangular cross sectionand having a length slightly greater than the width of the stamps beingfed thereby. Cross sectional configurations other than triangular, e.g.four, five or more sides, can be used, and a square cross section feedwheel gives excellent results, but the triangular configuration has beenfound to be the optimum configuration because of space-savingconsiderations. The feed wheel is rotatably disposed about an axisparallel to the pin 24 and the bead 22, and is positioned below thereceptacle 16 and near the lower end of the housing and also adjacentthe door 12.

In a particularly advantageous construction, the feed wheel islaminated, being formed of five separate pieces 27, 29, 31, 33, and 35(see FIG. 9) which are assembled together by means of cement or by dowelpins extending therethrough in a well-known manner. When suchconstruction i used, elements 27, 31 and 35 are advantageously moldedfrom plastic, and elements 29 and 33 are stamped from sheet metal. Smallintegrally formed pins 31) project from each corner of elements 22 and33, which are spaced apart by element 31 so that the pins 30 can engagethe perforations between stamps in the stamp well. The width of eachside 28 of the feed wheel is preferably no greater than about the widthof a stamp so that when the pins 30 on the corners of the feed wheel areengaged in the perforations between adjacent stamps, a single stamp willoverlay one side of the feed wheel. It will be appreciated that when thepins 30 are engaged in the perforations between adjacent stamps arotation of the feed wheel through degrees will feed a single stamp fromthe roll within the receptacle 16. As the stamps are fed from thereceptacle around pin 24 they will be pulled against this pin in areverse bend so as to remove the curvature in the stamp which resultedfrom rolling the strip of stamps. This greatly assists in insuring thatthe stamp is substantially flat when it is applied to an envelope orother surface to which the stamp is to be affixed.

Referring now to FIGURES 25, it is seen that a shoe 32 is pivotallyattached to the housing at 34, the pivot axis being parallel to the axisof the feed wheel 26. Shoe 32 is an arcuately formed element extendingslightly more than 120 degrees around the feed wheel and spaced slightlyaway from the feed wheel so as to allow the strip of stamps 20 to be fedtherebetween. The width of the shoe 32 is preferably such as to fitbetween the pins 30 on the feed wheel. In addition to its arcuateportion the lower end of the shoe has a straight portion 36 tangent tothe arcuate portion and extending horizontally so as to support thestrip of stamps being fed by the wheel.

Referring again now to FIGURE 9, it will be seen that the center element31 of the feed wheel comprises two triangular portions 38 with a reducedpreferably cylindrical portion 40 therebetween. This reduced cylindricalportion is provided in order to :allow clearance for a stamp takeoffmember 42 which may be seen in FIGURES 2 through 5. This stamp takeoffmember is an L-shaped device which functions as a doctor blade and ismounted on a mounting bracket 44 which comprises a vertical wallextending from the lower end of the housing up to above the elevation ofthe feed wheel. The stamp takeoff member 42 is a relatively narrow widthelement which extends into the space formed by the reduced cylindricalportion 40 of the feed wheel so as to disengage the stamps from thelower portion of the feed wheel and cause the stamps to be fed through ahorizontally disposed aperture 46 in mounting bracket 44. Thus thestamps are fed between the straight portion 36 of the shoe and the stamptakeoff member. The lower edge of the aperture 46 also comprises astationary knife blade 48 as will become apparent hereinafter.

Mounting bracket 44 serves many important functions in the apparatus ofthis invention. It serves as a support for the stamp takeoff member andas a stationary knife, and also separates the stamp feeding portion ofthe mechanism of this invention from the remainder of the mechanism.

The cap 14 has affixed thereto by means of screws 50 an actuator frame52 which extends downwardly from the cap within the housing and isslidably disposed between the walls of the housing on the side of themounting bracket 44 opposite that of the feed wheel. The configurationof this actuator frame 52 is more clearly shown in FIGURE 6 wherein theapparatus is shown with the door 12 and stamp receptacle 16 removed andwith the cap shown in section. Afiixed to the lower end of the actuatorframe 52 is a resilient pad 54 which is proportioned to engagesubstantially the entire surface of an individual stamp so as to pressthe stamp down onto the surface to which it is to be affixed. Theactuator frame is of a length sufiicient for the pad to be moved to thelower end of the housing when the apparatus is in the actuated positionas shown in FIGURE 4. A moving knife mounting bracket 56 is affixedwithin the actuator frame 62 just above the pad 54, being pivotallymounted on a pin 58 which extends through an arm 57 on the mountingbracket. The mounting bracket 56 has attached thereto a moving knife 60whose edge is disposed intermediate the pad and the mounting bracket 44in a horizontal position so as to be slidable vertically along thesurface of the bracket 44. Thus when the cap with its attached slidingactuator frame 52 is moved downwardly the moving knife 60 is moveddownwardly along the surface of the bracket 44 past the aperture 46 andthe stationary knife blade 48 so as to cut off a stamp extending throughthe aperture 46. A tension spring 62 attached to the arm 57 on themoving knife bracket and to an ear 64 formed in the wall of the housingserves to return the cap to its normal position after actuation of thestamp aifixing device. The point of attachment of spring 62 isintermediate the axis of the pin 58 and the downwardly extending knifeblade 60, so that the tension of the spring holds knife 60 closelyagainst bracket 44.

Slidably mounted within the lower end of the housing on the sideopposite the door is a water can 66. The can 66 slides up through theopen bottom of the housing and is held in place by means of resilientspring clips 68 (see FIG. 10) which engage apertures 70 in the wall ofthe housing, and by a stop 69 which limits the upward movement of thewater can into the housing. The spring clips may be depressed bypressing on finger grips 72 thereon so as to disengage the spring clipsfrom the apertures 70 and withdraw the can from the housing. The fingerclips are accessible through a U-shaped opening 74 extending to thebottom of the housing (see FIG. 1).

The body of the can is preferably made of brass or other corrosionresistant material with a transparent wall 76. The transparent wallallows observation of the water level within the can through a U-shapedopening 78 in the wall of the housing. The can is provided with a filleropening 80 and a filler cap 82. The transparent wall 76 is secured tothe can by means of a screw 84. A sealant may be applied between thetransparent wall and the body of the can to insure water-tightengagement therewith. Within the can a leaf spring 86 is attached at oneend near the upper end of the can. The leaf spring extends downwardlyfrom its point of attachment to adjacent the lower end of the can.Attached to the lower end of the leaf spring is a spanker pad 88 made ofresilient material such as rubber, which normally is in engagement withthe wall of the can. Slidably positioned in this wall of the can at apoint intermediate the ends of the leaf spring is a push rod 90. Aflexible seal member 92 surrounds the push rod and extends between theleaf spring 86 and the wall of the can. The seal member, in theembodiment shown, comprises a tubular element formed of a closed cellsponge material such as natural or synthetic rubber, which has a lengthand compressibility sufficient to sealingly engage both the can wall andthe leaf spring in all positions of the leaf spring, i.e., at either ofthe positions shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The push rod is adapted to bemoved longitudinally in an aperture in the wall. Upon movement throughsaid aperture into the can-the head of the push rod engages the leafspring 86 and causes the lower end of the leaf spring to be movedlaterally away from the wall of the can so as to disengage the spankerpad 88 from the wall of the can. The wall of the can is perforated at 94with small perforations which are closed by the spanker pad when thespanker pad is in engagement with the wall of the can. Upon movement ofthe push rod into the can the spanker pad is disengaged so as to uncoverthe perforations, and allow water in the can to flow into the spacebetween the spanker pad and the perforations. Then upon rapid movementof the push rod back out of the can the resiliency of the leaf springcauses the spanker pad to slap against the perforations. When there iswater in the can which is sufficiently high to cover the perforationsthe slapping of spanker pad 88 against the perforations 94 causes smallamounts of the water to be squirted through the perforations and ontothe surface to which the stamp is to be afiixed. The location of theperforations is such that this surface is immediately below the pad 54and also immediately below a stamp which is cut off by the knife blades.

The movement of the push rod is achieved by means of a striker plate 96.Striker plate 96 is pivotally mou ted on a pin 58 extending transverselyof the actuator frame 52. As more clearly seen in FIGURE 6 a torsionspring 98 is fitted around pin 58 and has one end in the arm 57 and theother end in an aperture 100 in the striker plate. This torsion springserves to resiliently urge the striker plate in a clockwise directionabout pin 58 toward its normal position as shown in FIGURE 2 and FIGURE4 wherein the upper edge of the striker plate substantially contact-sthe water can. The striker plate is formed with a sloping surfaceextending downwardly and laterally away from the adjacent wall of thewater can so that the lower edge of the striker plate is farther fromthe water can than is the upper edge. An ear 102 forming a part of thestriker plate element is adapted to engage the lower end of the frame 52to which the resilient pad 54 is fastened to limit the movement of thestriker plate in the clockwise direction to which it is biased by thetorsion spring. Contact of the lower edge of the sloping surface of thestriker plate on top of the lower end of the frame 52 limits thepivoting of the striker plate in the opposite direction.

As is apparent from FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, when the cap is moveddownwardly the sloping surface of the striker plate contacts push rod 90and, being prevented from rotating clockwise, it forces the push rod tomove inwardly into the can. The push rod in turn acts against the leafspring 86 and pushes the spanker pad 88 away from the perforations 94.Then as soon as the upper edge of the sloping surface of the strikerplate has been moved past the push rod the leaf spring 86 is releasedsuddenly so that the spanker pad strikes the perforations and forcesdroplets of water therethrough as has been previously described. Uponrelease of the cap 14, the spring 62 urges the cap together with theactuator frame 52 upwardly. When the upper edge of the sloping surfaceof the striker plate contacts the push rod on this upward movement thecontact is made against the side of the push rod rather than the end sothat the striker plate is caused to pivot about pin 58 and the push rodis not depressed into the can. When the striker plate has pivoted enoughto clear the push rod it rides up over the push rod and then returns toits normal position as shown in FIGURE 2, by virtue of the biasing ofthe torsion spring 98.

Mechanism for indexing the feed wheel is shown in FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 9.A leaf spring 104 is attached to the actuator frame 52 near the upperend thereof and extends downwardly therefrom. A misaligned portionformed by a bend, a sloping portion 105, and an opposite bend on thelower end of the leaf spring forms a pawl 106 thereon. The pawl extendsthrough an elongate slot 108 which extends downwardly along the line oftravel of the pawl through a guide housing 110, which is formed by athin piece of resilient sheet material attached on one side 111 (seeFIG. 9) to the inside wall of the housing 10. The pawl engages a ratchetwheel or feed cam 112 which is affixed to the end of the feed wheel 26.In the embodiment shown, the ratchet wheel 112 has three teeth 114positioned to be engaged by the pawl. The ratchet is basicallytriangular in shape, with a tooth being formed on one side of each pointof the triangle. As the pawl moves downwardly by virtue of downwardmovement of the cap, the pawl engages the upper edge of one of the teeth114 as shown in FIGURE 7, so that further downward movement of the pawlcauses the ratchet to rotate. As shown in FIGURE 8 this rotation iscontinued until the pawl has moved all the way past the ratchet, or 120degrees in the embodiment shown. This movement brings another tooth 114into position to be engaged by the pawl. Release of the cap then causesthe pawl to move upwardly, guided by the slot 108. Then the slopingportion 105 forming the upper edge of the pawl contacts the tooth whichhas newly been brought into position for engagement. The pawl rideslaterally outwardly over this tooth due to the sloping transitionportion 105 between the pawl and the main body of the leaf spring. Theresiliency of the spring allows this outward movement of the pawl. Adetent 118 (see FIGURES 7 and 9) formed in the wall of the guide housing110 is engaged by the ratchet wheel to resist further movement of theratchet, which might otherwise result from the upward movement of thepawl over this tooth of the ratchet wheel.

Referring now to FIGURES 11 and 12, the door 12 enclosing the side and aportion of the bottom of the apparatus of this invention is pivotallyattached to the housing near the upper end thereof by means ofintegrally formed pins 120 on the upper end of the door which fit intoholes 122 formed in opposite sides of the housing. The L-shaped doorextends down the side of the housing and is turned underneath thehousing to extend laterally up to mounting bracket 44. A latchingelement 124 (FIG. 12) forms the end of the door and is provided on eachside with lugs 126 which are engaged behind inturned catches 128 on thebottom of the housing. The latching element is attached to the door bymeans of an L-shaped spring 130 in such a manner that the lugs 126 arespaced away from the main portion of the door so as to form a slotbetween the lugs and the door. Thus the latching element is resilientlyattached to the door so that by depression thereof the lugs 126 may bemoved upwardly to clear latch 128 so that the door can be opened. Itwill be noted in FIGURES 2 through 5 that spring 130 also serves toretain the shoe 32 in proper position for guiding of the stamp strip 20.Thus when the door is open the shoe 32 may be swung up to allowthreading of the strip of stamps around the feed wheel but when the dooris closed the spring 130 holds the shoe in position.

To operate the device of this invention the door is opened by pressingthe latching element 124 and swinging the door open about the integrallyformed hinge pins 120. The stamp cartridge 16 is then slipped out and aroll of stamps placed in it, the end of the strip of stamps extendingout through the opening 18. The shoe 32 is swung up so as to reveal thefeed wheel 26 and the end of the strip of stamps is placed around thefeed wheel with the end extending into the aperture 46 in mountingbracket 44 and with the pins 30 on the points of the triangular feedwheel engaged in the perforations in the roll of stamps. The shoe 32 isthen closed around the strip of stamps to retain the pins 30 inengagement in these perforations. The cartridge is then slipped backinto the housing so that the strip of stamps overlaps pin 24 and thestamps are thereby given a reverse bend around bead 22 and pin 24. Thewater can 66 is filled with water by removing filler cap 82. The watercan is then replaced into the housing by sliding it up through the openbottom of the housing until the spring clips 68 engage in the aperture70. The stamp afiixer is then placed on the surface to which a stamp isto be aifixed and the cap 14 is pressed downwardly. As the cap is moveddownwardly the pawl 106 engages one of the teeth 114 of the ratchetwheel 112 and causes the feed wheel 26 to rotate far enough to feed onestamp through the opening 46. The elements are proportioned so that therotation of the ratchet wheel ceases just as the perforations of asingle stamp 136 (see FIG. 3) reaches the cutting surface 48 of bracket44, i.e., the surface on which the moving knife 60 slides. The feedingmovement must, of course, cease completely before the knife 60 reachescutting surface 48. As the cap is moved further down, the actuatingframe 52 also moves the sloping surface of the striker plate 96 down toengage the push rod 90. The push rod pushes the leaf spring 86 outwardlyso that spanker pad 88 is moved away from perforations 94 in the watercan. Continued downward movement moves the upper edge of the strikerplate clear of the push rod so that the push rod, by virtue of theresiliency in leaf spring 86, snaps back and allows the spanker pad tostrike the water can wall over the perforations and squirt out smalldroplets of water onto the area directly under the stamp 136 which is tobe affixed. Continued downward movement of the cap moves the knife blade60 down into contact with the perforated line between two stamps so thata single stamp 136 is cut off when further downward movement bringsknife blade 60 into cutting position at the stationary cutting edge 48.The cut off stamp 136 drops immediately under the resilient pad 54 andonto the Wetted area, so that the pad presses the stamp against theWetted surface.

During the downward movement and the feeding of stamp 136, the rotationof the feed wheel 26 has of course positioned another stamp for feedingthrough the aperture 46.

Upon release of the cap, spring 62 pulls the actuator frame 52 upwardlyso that the pawl 106 slides upwardly and rides over the next tooth 114on the ratchet wheel 112 and moves upwardly into position for engagingthis next tooth. At the same time the resilient pad 54 is moved upwardlyand the upper edge of the sloping edge of the striker plate 96 engagesthe side of the push rod 90 and is pivoted counterclockwise against theresiliency of the torsion spring 98 so as to move upwardly past the pushrod without depressing it. The spring 98 then pulls the striker plateback into position for engaging and depressing the push rod on the nextdownward movement. Thus the entire stamp afiixer is again returned to acondition suitable for afiixing another stamp.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 13, 14 and 15 amodified form of the water can is disclosed. In this embodiment watercan 166 is preferably molded from a transparent plastic such as anacrylic material. As in the previously described embodiment water can166 slides up through the open bottom of the housing 10 and is held inplace by means of a resilient spring clip 168 which is preferably moldedintegrally with the body of the water can. The clip 168 is provided witha detent 169 which engages an aperture (not shown) in the wall of thehousing to hold the water can in position in the housing. The springclip 168 may be depressed by pressing on finger grip 172 thereon so asto disengage the detent 169 from the aperture and withdraw the can fromthe housing. As in the previously described embodiment the finger gripis accessible through the U-shaped opening 74 in the wall of thehousing.

Water can 166 is provided with a filler opening 180 and a stopper 182therefor which is preferably made of a resilent material such as rubber.Within the can a leaf spring 186 is attached to the upper end of thewater can as by means of cementing into a slot 187. The leaf springextends downwardly from its point of attachment to adjacent the lowerend of the can. Attached to the lower end of the leaf spring is aspanker pad 188 made of a resilient sealing material such as rubber,which normally is in engagement with the wall of the can. At the lowerend of the water can means are provided to assist in biasing the leafspring in a direction to cause the spanker pad to sealingly engage onewall of the water can. Such means comprises a resilient block 194positioned between the leaf spring and the opposite wall of the Watercan. This resilent block 194 is formed of a closed cell foamed materialsuch as, for example, a foamed natural or synthetic rubber of apolyurethane composition. In its relaxed condition this resilient blocksubstantially fills the space between the lower end of the leaf springand the opposite wall of the water can.

Slidably positioned in an aperture 191 in the wall of the can at a pointintermediate the ends of the leaf spring is a push rod 190. A flexibleseal member .192 surrounds the push rod and extends between the leafspring 86 and the wall of the can. The seal member 192, in theembodiment shown, comprises a tubular element formed of a closed cellsponge material such as a spongy natural or synthetic rubber, which hasa length and compressibility sufficient to sealingly engage both the canwall and the leaf spring in all positions of the leaf spring, that is,at either of the positions shown in FIGURES 13 and 14.

As in the previously described embodiment the push rod 190 is adapted tobe moved longitudinally through aperture 191 in the wall of the watercan. Upon movement through said aperture into the can the head of thepush rod engages the leaf spring 186 and causes the lower end of theleaf spring to be moved laterally away from the Wall of the can so as todisengage the spanker pad 88 from the wall of the can. At the same timethis causes compresssion of the resilient block 194. The wall of the canis perforated at 195 with small perforations, preferably three, whichare closed by the spanker pad when the spanker pad is in engagement withthe wall of the can. Upon movement of the push rod into the can thespanker pad is disengaged so as to uncover the perforations and allowwater in the can to flow into the space between the spanker pad and theperforations. Then upon rapid 8 movement of the push rod back out of thecan the resiliency of the leaf spring causes the spanker pad to slapagainst the perforations. Thus small amounts of water are squirtedthrough the perforations and onto the surface to which the stamp is tobe affixed.

In the earlier described embodiment of the invention the movement of thepush rod into the water can in effect decreases the volume of the can soas to exert a slight pressure on the water in the can. If the can isfull or nearly full of water this slight pressure is sufficient tosometimes cause a small amount of water to ooze out through theperforations 94. However in the presently described embodiment suchdifficulty is not encountered. Instead, although the movement of thepush rod into the can decreases the effective volume of the can, thissame movement pushes the leaf spring back to compress resilient block194 by an amount greater than the volume decrease resulting from themovement of the push rod, so that the effective volume of the can isincreased slightly. Thus instead of a slight pressure being exerted uponthe water in the can, a slight vacuum is exerted, so that there is notendency for there to be any leakage of water through the perforationseven though the can may be full.

Numerous aspects of the apparatus of this invention make this apparatusfar superior to stamp affixers known in the prior art. As one examplethe means which include pin 24 for applying a reverse bend to the normalcurvature of the stamp eliminates the tendency for the stamp to curlafter it has been placed on the moistened surface to which it is to beaffixed. This insures that few if any of the stamps will tend to curl upand not be cemented to the surface. Another advantageous feature of thisinvention is the novel means by which the stamp is moistened foractivation of cement on the stamp. The modification described in FIGURES13, 14 and 15 is particularly advantageous because it substantiallyeliminates any possibility of leakage of water from the stamp affixerand insures that water is applied only to the surface to which the stampis to be afiixed. Still another advantageous feature is the positioningof the spring 62 in such a manner that it serves to bias the movingknife 60 against bracket 44 so as to insure closer engagement betweenthe moving blade 60 and the stationary blade 48 for better cutting ofthe stamps. Still another advantageous feature is the novel pawl andratchet means used for feeding a single stamp at a time with completeaccuracy and no possibility of feeding too little or too much. Stillanother advantageous feature is the removable stamp cartridge whichallows quick and easy replenishing of the stamp supply in the stampaffixer.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the inven tion have been shownand described herein, many modifications incorporating the advantageousfeatures of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.The invention is therefore not limited to the modifications shown anddescribed but only as set forth by the following claims:

1. In a stamp affixer, means for moistening a surface to which a stampis to be applied, comprising (a) a container having a wall positionedadjacent said surface,

(b) at least one perforation in said wall,

(c) a spanker pad in said container having a normal position coveringsaid perforation and an actuated position away from said perforation,

(d) resilient means biasing said spanker pad toward saidperforation-covering position,

(e) a push rod operably engaging said spanker pad, extending throughsaid wall of said container and adapted to be moved through said wall tomove said spanker pad to its actuated position, and

(f) a block of resilient, closed-cell foamed material in said containerpositioned so as to be compressed upon movement of said spanker pad toits actuated position.

2. In a stamp afiixer comprising (a) means for feeding a stamp from astrip of stamps into a cut-off position above a surface to whlch thestamp is to be affixed, (b) means for detaching said stamp from saidstrip when said stamp is in said cut-01f position, (c) means formoistening said surface, (d) means for pressing said stamp onto saidmoistened surface, and (e) actuating means operably engageable with theaforesaid means, the improvement wherein (f) said indexing meanscomprises (1) a rotatable feed wheel, (2) a ratchet wheel afiixed to andhaving a common axis with said feed wheel, and (3) a pawl afiixed tosaid actuating means adapted to engage and rotate said ratchet Wheelsufficient to feed a stamp upon each operation of said actuating means,

said pawl being on the free end of a leaf spring attached to saidactuating means and being resiliently biased in a direction parallel tothe axis of the ratchet wheel toward a position engageable with theratchet wheel, and said leaf spring having a sloping surface adjacent tosaid pawl, whereby after operation of said actuating means the return ofthe actuating means to its original position causes said pawl to moveupwardly and to ride laterally outwardly of said ratchet wheel by virtueof engagement of said sloping surface with said ratchet wheel so thatthe ratchet wheel is not rotated on the return movement. 3. A stampafiixer comprising (a) means for feeding a stamp from a strip of stampsinto a cut-off position above a surface to which the stamp is to beafiixed, (b) means for detaching said stamp from said strip when saidstamp is in said cut-01f position, means for moistening said surfacecomprising (1) a container having a wall positioned adjacent saidsurface,

(2) at least one perforation in said wall,

(3) a spanker pad in said container having a normal position coveringsaid perforation and an actuated position away from said perforation,

(4) resilient means biasing said spanker pad toward said normalposition,

(5) a push rod operably engaging said spanker pad, extending throughsaid wall of said container and engagea'ble upon feeding of said stampfor movement into said container to move said spanker pad to itsactuated position,

(6) a block of resilient, closed-cell foamed material in said containerpositioned so as to be compressed upon movement of said spanker pad toits actuated position, and

(7) means operable upon said feeding of said stamp to cause said spankerpad to be moved to its actuated position and then suddenly released toresume its normal position, and

(d) means for pressing said stamp upon said moistened surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,732 5/1911Storck 156-530 1,012,021 12/1911 Schweiger et al 156532 1,029,671 6/1912Daniel et al 156-532 1,289,240 12/1918 Onderdonl 156-532 1,682,084 8/1928 Leopold 156-524 1,877,849 9/1932 Gmelin et a1 156-532 FOREIGNPATENTS 279,415 10/ 1914 Germany.

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner. DOUGLAS J. DRUMMOND, Examiner.

3. A STAMP AFFIXER COMPRISING (A) MEANS FOR FEEDING A STAMP FROM A STRIPOF STAMPS INTO A CUT-OFF POSITION ABOVE A SURFACE TO WHICH THE STAMP ISTO BE AFFIXED, (B) MEANS FOR DETACHING SAID STAMP FROM SAID STRIP WHENSAID STAMP IS IN SAID CUT-OFF POSITION, (C) MEANS FOR MOISTENING SAIDSURFACE COMPRISING (1) A CONTAINER HAVING A WALL POSITIONED ADJACENTSAID SURFACE, (2) AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION IN SAID WALL, (3) A SPANKERPAD IN SAID CONTAINER HAVING A NORMAL POSITION COVERING SAID PERFORATIONAND AN ACTUATED POSITION AWAY FROM SAID PERFORATION, (4) RESILIENT MEANSBIASING SAID SPANKER PAD TOWARD SAID NORMAL POSITION, (5) A PUSH RODOPERABLY ENGAGING SAID SPANKER PAD, EXTENDING THROUGH SAID WALL OF SAIDCONTAINER AND ENGAGEABLE UPON FEEDING OF SAID STAMP FOR MOVEMENT INTOSAID CONTAINER TO MOVE SAID SPANKER PAD TO ITS ACTUATED POSITION, (6) ABLOCK OF RESILIENT, CLOSED-CELL FOAMED MATERIAL IN SAID CONTAINERPOSITIONED SO AS TO BE COMPRESED UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID SPANKER PAD TOITS ACTUATED POSITION, AND (7) MEANS OPERABLE UPON SAID FEEDING OF SAIDSTAMP TO CAUSE SAID SPANKER PAD TO BE MOVED TO ITS ACTUATED POSITION ANDTHEN SUDDENLY RELEASED TO RESUME ITS NORMAL POSITION, AND (D) MEANS FORPRESSING SAID STAMP UPON SAID MOISTENED SURFACE.